ELECTROMECHANICAL MICROINJECTION OF PINK-BOLLWORM PECTINOPHORA-GOSSYPIELLA EMBRYOS INCREASES SURVIVAL

We report and compare methods and apparatus for injection of pink boll worm, Pectinophora gossypiella (Saunders), embryos. Injection with an electromechanical device resulted in 59% survival of embryos. Previous techniques relying on a mechanical manipulator resulted in 8% surviva l. Pink bollworm (PBW) embryo injection technology is based in part on methods developed for injection and genetic transformation of Caenorh abditis elegans ([Maupas] Dougherty) and Drosophila melanogaster (Meig en) with substantial alterations in both method and apparatus to accom modate special conditions of PBW biology, behaviour and morphology. Th e microinjection methodology described here has direct application to other difficult-to-inject insects and invertebrates.